The Rise of the MLM Sellers

In recent years, two large multi-level marketing (MLM) companies have infiltrated the field of Aromatherapy from every angle so quickly, and with such unprecedented force, that the global qualified community has been left reeling.

These companies recruit sellers who (for the most part), are merely sales-people - not fully trained in the proper usage and safety of Essential Oils.

They use bright, eye-catching marketing promising riches, wonderful health benefits and well-being, yet all the while are advocating and promoting large-scale internal use, undiluted use on the skin, the adding of oils to our drinking water, our food, and touting Essential Oils as nutritional supplements - they most definitely are not - without a single word about any dangers, contraindications, possible reactions with medications and/or any existing ailments one may suffer from, and on it goes.

Their sellers are found across all of our social media platforms, our markets, our online trading sites, and they're even pushing these dangerous practices in eating establishments, schools, pre-schools and hospitals. You've probably heard of someone selling, or even been approached by one of them yourself, heck maybe you live next-door to one.

The problem is, with all of their happy, bright and sun-shiney advice, they are for the most part selling these ideas to a general public who may not know any better, who without much thought may click-on, like and share their posts to an even wider audience who do not necessarily know the importance of researching a little further into these claims, thereby putting themselves, and their loved ones at risk.

Neat use on the skin is just one risky practice advocated by MLM sellers

These companies have grown so large that they are buying out large quantities of the world's Essential Oil supply, thereby driving up the prices and making it harder for smaller qualified practitioners to source their precious tools.

They advocate using large amounts of essential oil and why? So you will use it up quicker and buy more of course!

Don't be fooled by the hype people... the qualified community is not jealous... we do not have a hidden agenda. We do not work with sub-par Essential Oils. Our only concern is safety for all who use Essential Oils no matter their source, access for all to good education and proper research, and our continued unrestricted access to these beautiful, life enhancing extracts.

Salvatore Battaglia in the AWESOME recently updated third edition of his book The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy (Volume 1) says it all so eloquently, and far better than myself:

"In recent years, multi-level marketing (MLM) companies have hijacked aromatherapy and undermined the role of the professional aromatherapist. Many professionally trained aromatherapists are concerned with incorrect information and the unsafe practices being disseminated. There is concern that if someone reads a bit about essential oils or if they belong to an MLM company, they think they are then qualified to tell others how to use essential oils. This situation undermines the qualifications and experience of professionally trained aromatherapists, and also puts the public at risk of unsafe usage recommendations.

I am pleased that more people than ever are being introduced to aromatherapy; however, it is imperative that aromatherapy is promoted with integrity. Essential oils must not be promoted as a quick fix cure, and consumers should not be misled by fraudulent claims inferring that essential oils such as frankincense have potential anticarcinogenic properties.

Tisserand states that there has not been one peer-reviewed journal article in which frankincense essential oil was successfully used to treat any kind of cancer. I also agree with Tisserand when he expresses his concerns that consumers with no understanding of aromatherapy are encouraged to use high doses of undiluted essential oils topically, especially when they have been told that any skin redness they experience is a natural, healing reaction and not an adverse reaction, and especially when the recipient is a baby or a pregnant woman. He states that it is possible that harm is going much deeper than a skin reaction."

(Battaglia - The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy, Third Edition, Vol 1, Pg 4)

So please, please PLEASE do your research people. Educate yourselves and question everything!

Robert Tisserand has spent the better part of 40+ years researching and writing about the safe use of essential oils and you can read more from him here.

To learn more about Salvatore Battaglia and his work you can visit his website here.

Stay safe all!

Michelle xx